The national Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, announced the Deschutes Land Trust has been re-accredited by the independent commission. Accredited land trusts must meet national quality standards for conserving and protecting important lands in their region.

“The Deschutes Land Trust has worked to maintain our national accreditation to ensure our land conservation efforts stand the test of time,” said Deschutes Land Trust executive director Brad Chalfant. “Accreditation means our work is transparent, ethical, serves the community, and that our lands are truly conserved forever.”

The Deschutes Land Trust was founded in 1995 and works throughout Central Oregon to conserve land for wildlife, scenic views, and local communities. By working with local landowners, the Land Trust has conserved more than 8,200 acres in our region. Projects such as Whychus Canyon Preserve, Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, and the Metolius Preserve exemplify our efforts.

“The Deschutes Land Trust is one of the first land trusts to achieve renewed accreditation, a significant achievement for the land trust,” said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn. “Accreditation renewal, which must be completed every five years, provides the public with an assurance that accredited land trusts continue to meet exceedingly high standards for quality.”

The Deschutes Land Trust first received accreditation in 2009. Standards were developed by the national land trust organization, the Land Trust Alliance, and accredited land trusts are able to display a seal indicating to the public they meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust, and ensure conservation efforts are permanent. The seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation. Of the estimated 1,700 land trusts around the country, only 280 have achieved national Accreditation.